Speed-indicator.



Patented Apr; 6, 1909.

INVENTOR Viuusni Li n K .4 TTORNEYS Nouns PUUEJNC umo WAsnmr-nm D C VINCENT LINK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPEED-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A il a, 1909.

Application filed June 17, 1908. semii No. 4ss,ss4.

T all whom it mug concern:

Be it known that I, Yixonnr L1.\' K, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Yavne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Indicators, of which the following is aspeciiication, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings. i

This invention relates to a speed indicator and more especially to that class wherein rotar-y motion causes displacement of liquid, the variations in the level thereof indicating the speed of rotation or the revolutions.

The-object of the invention is to provide. simple, accurate and readily adjustable means for indicating rotary speed which is ads itable as a tachometer for automobiles or t 1e like and is likewise sufliciently sensitive for use in laboratories or test rooms.

- The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more par icularly pointed out in the a pended chums.

In the drawings, 1* igure 1 is a view in lonitudinul section of an indicator embodying eatures of the invention. Fig. 2 is a view in section on line 2'a;.of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a view in detail of a reservoir disk with cap removed. Fig. 4 is a view showing an adapta-.

tion of the indicator for use as a tachometer on an automobile.

As shown herein in preferred form, a disk 1 with an annular channel 2 in its upper face is journaled by an axial s indle or stem 3, on which it is integrally ormed or otherwise suitably secured, in 'a stand 4, friction reduc ing bearings of any well-known type as indicatcd at 5 and 6 being provided. A cup 7 centered by the stem, is secured on the upper face of the disk, as by screws 8, and has an annular groove 9 on its underside adapted to register with the channel 2, its inner diameter being somewhrit less than the inner diameter of the channel. The annular reservoir or compression chamber thus formed is connected by radial passages 10 with an axial duct 11 in the u per part of the stem which is counterbore and provided with any proper packing land connections 12 for a. transparent gage glass tube 13, whose upper free end has a sto per with capillary opening 14, the duct an gage glass forming a reservoir for the compression chamber.

A cylindrical uard 15 with View hole therein, incloses the gage glass and a graduated scale 16 behind the glass, prefers ly V- shaped as shown may be longitudinally sidjusted in the guard by a suitably dis osed thumb-screw 17 The spindle may be riven from the body whose rotations are to be indicated by any suitable transmission mecharb' ism as for example, either a counter-shaft 18 and bevel gear 19, a pulley .20 with belt pass ing through an ert-ure 21 in the casing, or 9'; direct cou ling t irough the casing base, the casin itseli enveloping the running parts as a shiel In operation, sages are first filled full of mercury and'the cap then applied and made fast, thereby trapping air in the annular compression chamber over the mercury. The age glass is secured in place and mercury added until the zero point of the scale is approached, final adjustment being made by theScalethumb-screw. Thereafter, rotation of the disk throws the mercury out into the annular compression chamber, up the outer wall thereof and compresses the air, the consequent dropping of the mercury in the gage lass past the scale showing the rate of revoution.

such case the casing is ada. ted to be secured as shown in Fig. 4 on the ash 22 ohm automobile so that it is substantially perpendicular to the line of sight of a. person sitting in the vehicle seat 23 and therefore easily read.

A feature of the invention is the arrangement of the compression chamber and feed passages which holds the mercury so distributed that the indicator may be used in a tilted position. Furthermore as the compression of the air by the mercur prevents the latter ever rear-lung a pointw iere it Wlll not move farther out into the chamber as the speed increases, the racticol range of the instrument is very wi e, and by varying the proportions of the compression chamber, any degree of sensitiveness of the instrument may be readily obtained, the larger the body of air to be compressed, the greater the change in the column level for each variation in speed.

The indicator may be inclined without preventing its proper operation, and in the disk channel and pos- I '10s Obviously changes may be made, in thedetails of construction without departing.

from the spirit of the invention, and I do not care to limit myself to any particular" form or arrangement o f parts What I claim as my invention is 1. A speed indicator comprising a. rotate its upper face concentric with the spindle I ble body containing an annular compression l chamber having an upper air retaining space F of greater cross-section than the lower liquid retaining channel and having an axially dis 1 osed reservoir and radial passages connect- E mg the lower part of the chamber, and means for supporting and rotating the body. l 2. speed indicator comprising a casing, l an upright spindle rotatably secured therein, l a disk thereon having an annular eompression chamber concentric with the spindle, 1 and having also radial passages therefrom, a i gage glass on the spindle in communication i with the chamber through said radial passages, and driving means lor the spindle.

3. A )eed indicator comprising a casing, an n ri ht hollow spindle journaled therein, a dis c thereon having an annular cha'ni'iel in and having also radial passages connecting the channel and spindle bore, a cap on the disk having an annular groove on its underface in register with the channel, and means for driving the spindle. 4. As eed indicator comprising a casing, an u )ri 1t hollow spindle journaled therein. a dis tiherenn havin an annular channel in its u )per face conu .4 and aving also radial passages connecting the channel and spindle bore, a cap on the disk having an annular move on its underface in registerwith the (filmlllel, a gage glass secured on the upper end of the spindle, a

a dis integrally formed thereon having an annular channel 1n its upper face eonceniric with the spindle and having also radial passages connectlng the channel and spindle bore, a cap on the disk having an annular groove on its underface having an internal diameter less t an the channel diameter and in register with the channel, and means for driving the spindle.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VINCENT LINK'.

Witnesses C. R. 'STICKNEY,

-\ M DORR" 

